I’ve been self treating with Thyroid-S (I know this isn’t ideal but I have no other option right now). I’ve been on 5 grains for a few years and was doing well with good labs (mid range FT4 and upper third range FT3). I just got labs done again and these were the results:
TSH: <.01 (to be expected)
FT4: 18 pmol/L (12-22)
FT3: 6.8 pmol/L (3.1-6.8)
Lately I’ve had some trouble sleeping and a bit of anxiety that I attributed to the pandemic situation. I just did my resting heart rate and it was in the 90’s. Should I back down on my dosage and see how I feel? I am trying to conceive so I definitely need to be optimal. Thanks!!
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simon2025
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I have taken Thyroid S in the past but I only took 1 1/2 grains. At the moment I am taking nothing because my thyroid seems to be working properly at the moment. My TSH is 0.38 and my T4 is 22 which is top of the range but my T3 is not as high as yours. Some of us need our T4 and T3 at the top of the range to feel well. I sometimes get periods where my heart beats faster than it should and in my case it could be my multi-nodular goitre or I am feeling stressed because of the current situation. Do you feel like you are hyper? I feel fine and although I am having nightmares and waking up through the night. I think I am anxious because of what is going on at the moment. I get up really early twice a week to go shopping and I always feel a bit jittery then because of the worry of trying to keep 2 metres apart from people who are not adhering to the rules. You could try reducing by a 1/4 a grain and see how you feel because you could always increase it again if you need to. I hope that helps.
I have been having a hard time falling asleep but sleeping more - which I think is probably related the pandemic (I’m out of a job right now which isn’t great for my mental health). And I have had a bit of trouble fully relaxing even when I’m not worrying. I also get very tired by late afternoon/evening - almost like I’ve exercised a lot when I haven’t been very physically active (weather has been poor here). So I do think it’s possible that I’m a tad overmedicated. I think I will back down 1/4 and see if I feel any better/worse.
I'm sorry that you're out of a job at present as that will give you a lot of anxiety too, wondering how you're going to survive and give you worries that you could do without.
I wish the NHS would return to the 'old fashioned' way of diagnosing/treating patients and a lot of money would probably be saved too. The patients symptoms would be priority instead of the TSH alone. This might be helpful. Go down to "Dear Thyroid Patients: "
I’m not an expert but those results are spot on arent they? I take 4 x ThyroidS and this is the best Ive felt in the last 18 months. I’m sure the more lnowledgeable ones will be along shortly.
That’s what I thought too when I first saw them but then I started second guessing my FT3. I am on a whole host of things: prenatal, vitamin D, selenium, vitamin e, inositol, coq-10, vitamin B complex, folate - most are for trying to conceive because I have unexplained infertility. I’m worried that being even a little overmedicated would affect being able to conceive.
I would suggest you are very close to being overmedicated.
I would like my heart rate to be lower
However as you say the pandemic (and any concern about conceiving) may be contributing
Have you checked your blood pressure?
Probably a close one to call but a tiny drop (1/4 grain) in dose might be worth trialling....you can always increase again if it doesn't help, and it will satisfy your mind.
I think it was pretty close to 24 hours - I did the bloods at 11am, I have a toddler running around distracting me so sometimes I take my meds in the morning and sometimes I forget and take them in the afternoon. Haha! I do feel like I haven’t been able to completely relax so maybe backing off by 1/4 to 1/2 a grain is a good idea. And when I repeat my bloods I’ll make sure I leave 12 hours between my dose and my bloods.
Did you leave 12 hours gap between last dose and test? Test should always be at the earliest possible and fasting?
The mos important way of knowing whether our dose is optimum is by 'How We Feel. You can always adjust dose by 1/4 tablet (either up or down). At present I'd reduce dose slightly. The fact that you have palpitations would lead me to think you are slightly overdosed. I must also state that I'm not medically qualified but had to diagnose myself and now buy my own thyroid hormones.
I believe it was between 18 and 24 hours since my last dose. I will try backing down 1/4 grain and see how I feel and I’ll repeat my labs in 6 weeks. I’m mad at myself for not looking this up, I just thought you shouldn’t take them until after the labs. Thank you!
This link is by a doctor/scientist (now deceased) who was also an adviser to Thyroiduk. I think you will find the following link helpful.
Dr Lowe only took one blood test for the initial diagnosis and therreafter, it was all about relieving the clinical symptoms by small increases in dose.
He only took one blood test for the initial diagnosis and thereafter adjusting dose according to clinical symptoms (either up or down).
You're correct about taking hormones after the test, but you have to allow a gap between the last dose and test. I've always left 24 hours gap no matter what I've been taking but I know some leave 12 hours if they take T3 only.
On e of Thyroiduk's Advisers (now deceased) only took one blood test for the initial diagnosis of his patients and thereafter any adjustment in doses was made according to clinical symptoms alone, i.e. small increments. He would never prescribe levothyroxine - only NDT or T3 for patients who were 'resistant' to thyroid hormones.I shall give you a link for info:-
Before blood tests were introduced by Big Pharma (lots of profits from the tests) we were diagnosed upon our clinical sympoms alone and given a trial of NDT. Small increases every few weeks were made until symptoms resolved.
Tests were introduced along with levothyroxine (T4 alone). Therefore if we take NDT which contains T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin results cannot correlate.
The most important point when we take thyroid hormone replacements is 'how we feel' as the aim is to resolve all clinical symptoms and we, the patient, feels well and energetic again.
Levothyroxine is T4 alone. It has to convert to T3. NDT contains all of the hormones a healthy gland would do i.e. T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin.
Also all of our older doctors (in the UK - the majority now retired) knew all clinical symptoms and we were diagnosed due to those and then given a trial of NDT (natural dessicated thyroid hormones).
Unfortunatley -those who should know better but do not, made False Statements about NDT in order to get it withdrawn, despite it being in use since 1892 so it is a 'fathered' replacement and saved lives, No need for blood tests then as we were all diagnosed upon our clinical symptoms alone. Dose was adjusted slowly until symptoms were resolved and it saved lives from then on.
Unfortunately for us the 'professionals' in the UK wanted it withdrawn - and so it and T3 are no longer prescribed and panic arose in those who were well on either NDT or T3, or T3 added to T4.
I think these people are in the wrong profession in that if we're unwell we need proper medications to relieve our symptoms but 'misinformation' (polite word) permitted the withdrawal of NDT and also T3 and cost was the reason . Never mind that it threw many patients into a panic in that they could no longer get prescribed NDT or T3. They had to try to source from abroad which isn't ideal at all.
Well seen the majority are male so they made decisions which rebounded throughout the hypo patients (without notice) hormone replacements that had restored their health.
Blood tests were introduced along with levothyroxine.
Before that NDT (ThyroidS etc) introduced in 1892 contains all of the hormones a healthy gland would have produced and made from animals' thyroid glands,so therefore modern blood tests are for levothyroxine (T4) alone and if we take NDT or T3/T4 the results wont correlate. As in the past, when patients take other than levo, the concentration is upon the clinical symptoms iand if they are they being relieved.
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